New York: Boeing plans to lay off about 10pc of its workeforce in the coming months, about 17,000 people, as it continues to lose money and tries to deal with a strike that is crippling production of the company’s best-selling airline planes.

The aviation giant must "reset our workforce levels to align with our financial reality," said Chief Executive Kelly Ortberg, adding that the global cuts of 17,000 positions "will include executives, managers, and employees."

The company also announced a series of cost-cutting measures and production delays, as the nearly month-long strike by 33,000 workers has compounded its ongoing challenges.

"Our business is in a difficult position, and it is hard to overstate the challenges we face together," Ortberg said in the memo. "Restoring our company requires tough decisions and we will have to make structural changes to ensure we can stay competitive and deliver for our customers over the long term."

"Beyond navigating our current environment, restoring our company requires tough decisions and we will have to make structural changes to ensure we can stay competitive and deliver for our customers over the long term."

Ortberg, the former head of aerospace company Rockwell Collins, joined Boeing as CEO in August, replacing outgoing CEO Dave Calhoun in the wake of increased regulatory scrutiny sparked by production problems at the storied company.

-B